Machine for twisting dough



Oct. 21, 1941. J MacMANus 2,259,476

MACHINE FOR TWISTING DOUGH Filed Aug. 2, 1940 INVENTOR- Ja/m Mar lye/nos7 N%;TQEYS Patented Oct. 21, 1941 MACHINE FOR TWISTING DOUGH JohnMacManus, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Cushmans Sons Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application August 2, 1940, Serial No.349,612

Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for twisting strips of dough. Amongthe objects of the invention is to provide an efficient machine fortwisting strips of dough which imparts the full twist in the dough asultimately used in making coffee rings and like pastries.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafterset forth in the accompanying specification and claims and demonstratedby the drawing which shows by way of illustration a preferred embodimentand the principle of the invention and what I now consider the best modein. which I have contemplated applying that principle. i

Fig. 1 is a plan of the dough twisting machine.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig.*3 illustrates a twisted dough product of the machine.

The dough twisting machine is provided with two parallel plates whichare rotated relatively to eachother. These plates are spaced from oneanother sufficientlyto accommodate and process the strip of :dough to betwisted. The relative rotary motion of the two plates causes rotation ofthe dough strips and twisting thereof in proportion to the locationsalong the dough strip from the center of relative rotation of theplates.

Referring to the drawing, the dough twisting machine is mounted above atravelling conveyor in the form of a wide belt Ill. The belt issupported by rollers II. The movement of the belt is coordinated withother manufacturing operations having to do with the preparation of thedough strips before they are ready for the twisting operation. I

As shown in Fig. 1, a strip of dough l2 ready for twisting isapproaching the twisting machine upon the belt. This strip has been cutto length and width from a long strip of dough of the desired thickness.It is desirable, though not essential, that the dough strip be providedwith a longitudinal slit l3 cut entirely through the strip, and, ifdesired, more than one of these'slits may be cut.

The two plates of the dough twisting machine may be made of any suitablematerial, and wooden plates in the form of disks serve very effectively.While relative rotation between the disks is relied upon for producingthe twist in the dough, I have obtained satisfactory results bymaintaining one plate stationary and rotating the other plate.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the stationary plate [4 ismounted in a horizontal position and is supported on brackets adjustablysetime.

cured to frame l5. This plate serves as a platform which receives thestrip of dough when it is introduced into the machine, and it alsoserves to provide one of the surfaces which imparts the twist to thedough. The other surface which cooperates with the platform surface fortwisting the dough is at the underside I6 of a rotary disk H. The rotarydisk is carried by a vertical shaft I8. This shaft is journalled in athrust bearing 19 which is carried by the frame elements 2|. These frameelements are in the form of three arms which extend radially and aresecured to frame l5 which is in turn supported upon a base (not shown).

In the operation of the machine the strips of dough to be twisted areintroduced one at a time to the space between the two plates I4 and I!in such a manner that each will extend substantially radially from theaxis of rotation of the rotary plate. For accomplishing this, the rotaryplate is provided with an opening 25 which has a dropping off edge 26extending radially of the plate. Stationary plate M has a similaropening 21 which permits the egress of strips of dough from the spacebetween the plates after twisting has been completed. The point ofingress of the strips of dough to the space between the plates isdetermined by a bar 28 mounted just above rotary plate l1, and thelocation of the point of egress of the strips of dough from the spacebetween the plates after twisting is completed is determined by theposition of the opening 21 in the stationary plate or platform. Theangle between the bar 28 and the dropping off edge 29 of opening 21determines the length of travel of dough between the plates while beingtwisted and the amount of twist the dough receives. Accordingly, it isdesirable to have means for adjusting the position of the fixed platformI4 about the axis of the apparatus so as to position the dropping ofiedge 29, as desired. The vertical driving shaft I8 is connected to amotor 30 by a sprocket and. chain connection 3|. Suitable speedcontrolling mechanism for the motor is provided, as well as reductiontransmission 32.

When using the machine the operator stands at the side of the belt I0which is uppermost in Fig. 1. As the strips of dough l2 approach themachine, the operator picks them from the con veyor Ill and drops themupon the top of the rotating plate IT. The dropping occurs in front ofthe hand guard 33.

The plate carries the strips against the guide bar 28 which temporarilyarrests them, one at a Continued motion of the plate 11 brings theopening 25 to the position of the arrested strip and the passage of theedge 26 by bar 28 permits the strip to drop upon the stationary platformor plate Hi just below. The strip is immediately engaged by the oppositefaces of the plates l4 and I1, and. as a result of the rotary motion ofplate I! the strip is rolled on its own axis in the path of an are aboutthe center of rotation of plate ll. Twist is simultaneously imparted tothe strip of dough as the result of this movement along the arc becauseof the differences in linear have been twisted by contact with oppositefaces velocity of particles on the strip in proportion to v the radiusof their position from the center of the rotating plate. One position ofthe dough being twisted in its arcuate path of travel is gen-*' erallyillustrated at 34.

- in'g substantially radial of the axis of relative v on the respectiveplates, and means for guiding strips of dough to present them to thespace between said plates with their longest axes extendrotation of'said'plates so as to cause twisting of The point of egress ofthe'twisted'strip from the space between the plates is determined by theforemost edge 29 in the opening 21 in the'st'ationary plate. Thetwisting action of the plates is :discontinued at this point and thetwisted dough drops upon the conveyor. 1'0 and :is carried away from themachine. For completing the ring'it is.-necessary only that the freeends of the twisted strip be securedto one another.

. During the operation of the machine it is desirable that'the plates besprinkledwith flour. For this purpose a hopper 35 is provided which ismounted-in bearings at .the. upper ends of standards 36, 31. Thesestandards are carried by a bracket 38which is mounted upon the 'boxframe I5. The operation. of the machine sets up sufiicient vibration tocause flour to drop from the hopper upon the rotating plate.

For adapting the-machine to twist different kinds of dough and to twiststrips of different thicknesses it is desirable to provide means foradjusting the spacing between the plates. I'have found it convenienttomake provision for'raising or lowering the stationary plate. I .Forthat purpose the brackets 40 forsu'pporting plate M are connected toframe I 5 by pin and slot connectionsincluding bolts 4|.

The horizontal flanges of the brackets are screwed to the-plate li4. .Bychanging the points of engagement of the screws with the plate the platemay be adjusted about its axis for deter! mining the rotary position ofdischarge opening 2 1.

' What is claimed is:

1. A dough twisting machine comprising, in combination, a platform, a.rotatableplate mounted forrotationgsaidrotatable plate. having asurface parallel to said platform and facing said platform, saidrotatable pl'atehaving an aperture thereinfor the ingress ofstrips ofvdough to the space between the rotatable plate andxplatform, meansdetermining the location of the feed of strips 'of dough to saidopening, said platform also havingan opening for the .egress of twistedstrips of dough from. the space'betweemthe platform androtatable plateat a point removed from the'location of the feed of the stripsof doughso as to cause the relative rotary movementiof the facing surfaces ofthe :rotatable'u-plat'e and-platform to twist the strips while beingtravelled ,betweenthe plate andplatformjfrom the ingress openingto-theegress opening, and :means for;ro-; tating said rotatable plate. 7

-2. "A dough twisting machine 'comprising, ain

Ithe strips as they are rolled between the plates.

3. A dough twisting machine comprising, in combination, a pair of plateshaving parallel faces spaced from :each other and providingsurfacesbetween which strips of doughare received and twisted, one ofsaid plates being fixed and having an edge over which twisted strips ofdough leave the space .between the plates, means for mounting the otherof said plates for rotation on an axis perpendicular to the planes-ofsaid parallel surfaces, said last named plate having an opening withan-edge extending substantially radially-from the axis of rotation ofsaid last named plate for the ingress of strips of dough to the spacebetween said plates, and means for determining the moment of passage ofa strip of material through the opening in said last named plate.

4. A dough twisting machine comprising, in combination, a pair of plateshaving parallel faces spaced from each other and providing surfacesbetween which strips of dough are received and twisted, one of saidplates being fixed and hav; ing an edge over which twisted strips ofdough leave the space between, the plates, means for mounting the otherof said plates for rotation on an-axisperpendicular to the planes ofsaid parallel surfaces, said last named plate having an opening with anedg xtending substantially radially from the axis of rotation of saidlast named plate for the ingress of strips of dough to the space betweensaid plates, means fordetermin ingthe moment of passage of a strip ofmaterial through the opening in said last named plate, and meansforadjusting the .position of said fixed plate for changing the spacebetween the fixed plat and rotary plate. F a v 5. A dough twistingmachine comprising, in combination, a pairof oppositely disposedmemhershaving surfaces facing each other, means for mounting saidopposingmembers in spaced relationymeans for rotating one of said members withrespect to the other so as to twiststrips of dough between-the facingsurfaces, zmeans inone of said members providing for the ingress ofstrips of dough 'tothe space between the facing surfaces, and means inthe other of said mem; bers providing for the egress of said strips- 0fdough from the said space between the facing surfaces after they havebeen twisted as the result of their contact with the relativelyrotating; surfaces. 7 p M -JOHN MACMANUS.

